Feeling Lighter

I have mentioned a couple times that I am back on a diet. And yes, this means that i gained a bunch back! Well, I am switching things up and this time instead of doing Lindora (like i have done for the better part of the last 7 years), my hubby and i heard about the Carb Cycling Solution! I thought i would give you a quick run down of what the diet entails, plus at some point i can share my meal planning forms that i have created! 

Here's the low down: 

-You alternate between a high carb day and a low carb day!

-Eat within the first 30 minutes of being awake! And then eat 4 more meals every three hours after your breakfast. 

-Breakfast is always high carb, no matter what day! 

There's so many more details, but you can read the book for that! 

Choose to Lose by Chris Powell

(BTW - there is a TON of info in the comments section on this book on Amazon!)

My take on this whole diet thus far? 

Here are some notes to give you my opintion:

Facts:

-I have lost 11.6 lbs. 

-My husband has lost about 10 lbs. 

-I have felt hungry in the late evenings. 

-My clothes are fitting better!

-Cheat days are relaxing!

-I feel as though i can now have carbs, good ones of course! 

-One month on this diet and still chugging along!

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Pros: 

-Weight loss! 

-Great tasting food! 

-Gets easier to plan after a couple weeks. 

-Lots of options

-Can vary between different types of foods such as Mexican style and Italian. 

-Prior to this diet i hadn't had pasta in months. 

-Veggies! I love bell peppers and mushrooms! On this diet there is no limit to the amount of veggies! 

-A new way to think about food groups!

-Costco can really help with items that we seem to just go through every week! Almond milk, salsa, veggies and fruit are some of those items on our Costco list every week! 

-The 100 calorie portion list in the book is helpful!

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Cons:

-Feeling tired at times

-In order to work with my school day, I have to be up at 5 am so i can keep the "eat every three hours" schedule.

-Food prep can take a while. 

-Menu planning can take some time as well. 

-I often want more fruit, but understand that it is listed as a carb! 

-I wish there were more details about specific foods. For example, i wish there were more clearly outlined guidelines about calorie limitations for certain foods. 

-It can be a bit expensive at first.

-If hubs wakes up after me, we do not get to eat together to follow our schedule. This has not been a huge problem for us, but still could be for a family who likes to sit and eat a meal together. 

-The book gives a great 100 calorie list, but it can be difficult to determine the correct portions. 

-The list of approved foods and the 100 calorie list could be combined better. (look out for a Freebie of this sometime soon!)

-More recipes needed! (I will probably be posting a few of my recipes too!) 

-Spices- these seem a bit limited! I personally have not followed the rules on the spices front! I just feel that spices should not be limited to what is on the list. 

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I think that's a pretty good run down! When we are done with the carb cycling and weight loss portion of the diet, we will increase our food a bit and then see if maintenance is better than the whole low carb thing that i had done before! 

Have any of you tried to do this carb cycling thing before? 

My Weight Log

Good Morning! (Or maybe it's good afternoon for you, depending on where you are reading this!) 

Today I am sharing about my weight log. For years now, I have logged my weight. I weigh myself every morning completely naked after having used the restroom. (I will spare the details of a trip to the restroom!) Now i know that not everyone monitors their weight so closely, but this could be done on a weekly basis, or even a monthly basis. Either way, I log my weight every morning with the exception of a few mornings like when my hubby and I go on a trip!

I began doing this in a tiny little notebook. My first one was brown leather, then i had a little black book, now I have this cute little flowered paper note pad. I love the print on this one. And best of all it was pretty inexpensive at Target!  (I think it cost me a whole dollar!)

The next step is to determine what you want to log. In my case I log the date, my actual weight, and  how much I went up (UGH!) or down (:D!) from the day before or the last weigh in. I have also started to log my exercise. This can be seen in the pictures below. The inside cover of my log has a little key for any of the different exercises that I do. This can quickly show me how many times I have worked out in a week and it really takes no time at all. 

You might also notice that I have noted when I am "really sore" because I know that that means I am probably retaining water. This can also be reflected on the scale and so, I do other stuff to help with water retention. (I will post about this at a later date!) Anyway, here's one last shot to show you when I forget to log it looks really inconsistent. This pic is from my log from a couple years ago. Sometimes I would just remember what I had weighed that morning and then fill it in later, I have learned my lesson. I don't like those little question marks , so I now religiously write down my weight right after my weight in. I have even moved my log to the bathroom (it used to be in the bed room) to help me do it immediately. 

This entry also shows that I haven't always logged my exercise! 

So, that is my weight log. Many people know that I am "perpetually on a diet," but really I just want to be healthy. These logs have really helped me to see the changes in my body (as far as weight is concerned) over the years. It has also become a bit of a scrapbook of sorts. I can tell you when my last vacation was and any day I was sore or injured or even sick! I also log when i have allergies and other sorts of troubles (I said I would spare the details of the restroom didn't I?). 

I must note too that these logs are from at least a year (or more) ago. Life has changed and I am currently trying to get my weight down to these numbers again. On my wedding day I weighed 147 and that would be awesome! 

Hope you all have a happy Sunday! 

PS. With all this football and basketball on the screen.... is anyone beginning to miss baseball? I am so looking forward to seeing the Angels play this season!!!!